Air supported vehicle



p my N67 L. A. DIONISEO ETAL AIR SUPPORTED VEHICLES 2 sheets sheet 1' Filed July 20, 1964 INVENTOR Laws A. Dim'asw 8: Kenneflw ABmmeH' BY g/awm m mm ATTORNEY April 11, 1 67 L. A. DIONISIO ETAL 3 3 AIR SUPPORTED VEHICLES Filed July 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fag Louis A.Dionisio & Kenneth A.Brockefl ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,3l3,35 Patented Apr. Ill, 1967 3,313,366 Am SUPPORTED VEHICLE Louis A. Dionisio, Mastic Beach, and Kenneth A. Brockett, Port Jefferson, N.Y., assignors to US. Ground Effects Vehicles, Inc, Port Jefferson, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed July 20, 1964, Ser. No. 383,837 6 Claims. (Cl. 180-7) This invention relates generally to hover-type craft and further to a new and improved ground effects vehicle utilizing a fluid-cushion, which when introduced intermediate the body of said vehicle and a topographical surface, will support said vehicle in spaced relation with respect to said surface.

More specifically, the instant invention is directed to the provision of a ground effects vehicle of the foregoing character which is capable of ascending inclined topographical surfaces absent the requirement of additionally raising said vehicle or increasing the spaced relation thereof with respect to the surface being traversed to thus clear the highest level of the inclination. That is to say, the .present device obviates the heretofore prevalent need of enlarging the thickness of the fluid-cushion and further permits inclination of the vehicle during the ascension of the incline, the load-supporting platform thereof being, however, maintained level, notwithstanding the assumption of other portions of the vehicle into an attitude of parallelism with respect to the inclined surface.

The term fluid is herein used to encompass any gaseous or liquid medium including air, the fluid of primary present concern.

Accordingly, and consonant with the foregoing, the instant invention has for an object the provision of a ground effects vehicle having a controlled variable volume fluid chamber, manipulation of the spatial distribution of the fluid volume within said chamber being effective to affect the ability of the vehicle to ascend inclinations.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hover-type craft wherein the spatial volumetric distribution of the fluid chamber may be controlled by an operator seated upon a load-supporting platform which forms the upper wall of the fluid chamber being varied.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a ground effects vehicle which includes a fluid-intake passage through which air utilized to the end of supporting the vehicle is forced.

Another general object of the invention is to provide a device of the described character which will be simple in structure, economical of manufacture, durable and highly effective in use.

Other objects and advantages of the instant ground effects device will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious 'herefrom, or may be learned by practice of the invention, the same being realised and attained by means of the structure defined and pointed out in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the present ground effects vehicle, the flexible peripheral curtain thereof being uniformly expanded;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational cross-section view of the vehicle showing the fluid impeller and power source therefor and control means for adjusting the angular relation of the load-supporting surface and the plenum chamber;

FIGURE 3 is 'a bottom plan view of the invention taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an operational view of the vehicle in hovering attitude with respect to a level topographical surface; and

FIGURE 5 is an operational view of the vehicle traversing "an inclined topographical surface.

Referring now in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, FIGURE 1 shows the ground effects vehicle designated generally by numeral 1, the orientation of the various parts thereof being considered normal rather than controllably varied as will be described hereinbelow following.

As more specifically disclosed in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings, the instant ground effects vehicle includes controlled variable volume fluid chamber 2, said chamber being comprised of normally horizontally oriented upper load-supporting platform 4 of generally rectangular configuration having exterior and interior surfaces 6 and 8, respectively, and first, second, third and fourth peripheral edges 14 12, 14 and 16, respectively.

It will be understood that the configuration of the aforedescribed load-supporting platform as well as other components of the invention may be modified, the particular shapes disclosed herein being exemplary and explanatory but not restrictive of 'the invention.

Fluid-intake passage 18 which is preferably circular as shown and disposed centrally through said surfaces 6 and 8 houses propeller 20 which is mounted adjacently and axially thereof. Rotary power source 22 which may be an internal combustion engine as shown or any other suitable power supply, is drivingly connected to said propeller, said engine being connected to the interior surface of said platform by brackets 24 as shown in the drawings. The blade pitch of the propeller, it will be appreciated, is such that upon rotation thereof, air will be drawn through said fluid-intake passage 18 to within said chamber 2 to thus provide an air-cushion 26 intermediate said chamber and topographical surface 28 as seen in FIG- URE 4 or inclined topographical surface 30 as observed in FIGURE 5.

Flexible peripheral curtain 32 and wall member 34, in combination form a lower plenum chamber which flexibly depends from and is sealingly connected to said platform 4. Curtain 32 which is preferably formed of canvas may be of rubber construction or of any other suitably flexible material capable of affording a substantial seal between said platform and wall member while still permitting relative movement as shown, for example, in FIGURE 5 of the drawings.

More specifically, it will be seen that wall member 34, which is of generally rectangular configuration, is formed of first, second, third and fourth vertically oriented rigid peripheral wall portions 36, 38, 40 and 42, respectively, top peripheral edge 44 and bottom peripheral edge 46 being the upper and lower extremities, respectively, of said Wall member. Flexible peripheral curtain 32, which as aforestated, sealingly secures said platform to said wall member, is as shown, connected at upper end 48 thereof to edges 10, 12, 14- and 16 of said platform and at lower end 50 to top peripheral edge 44 of said wall portions 36, 38, 40 and 42, to thereby establish the flexible relation therebetween. That is, by dint of the inclusion of said flexible curtain 32 disposed peripherally intermediate the platform and wall member, angular movement between said normally horizontal platform and said rigid normally vertically oriented wall portions is permitted as shown, e.g., in FIGURE 5 of the drawings.

Accordingly, therefore, it will be appreciated that angular movement of said platform as shown in FIGURE 5 will displace the volumetric distribution within the fluid chamber encompassed by the load-supporting platform and the lower plenum chamber. With further reference to FIGURES 4 and 5, the aforedescribed fluid chamber is seen divided by imaginary section line A--A, said line being centrally positioned with respect to ends 52 and 54 of the vehicle. In FIGURE 4, platform 4 and wall member 34 are perpendicularly disposed, whereby the volumetric content of portions B and C are equivalent. In FIGURE 5, however, wherein said platform 4 is disposed angularly with respect to wall member 34, the volumetric character of the fluid chamber is seen spatially changed, whereby the volumetric content of portion B is now smaller than that of portion B. Otherwise stated, by virtue of movement of edge 12 of said platform toward wall portion 38 of the wall member, the volumetric content of portion B is lessened to a value smaller than that of portion C. It is this variation in the volumetric arrangement which serves to maintain said platform 4 in a level attitude as shown, although the normally vertically oriented wall poritions of wall member 34 assume perpendicularity with respect to the inclined surface 30.

Since curtain 32 is uniformly flexible, platform 4 may be lowered toward any of said peripheral wall portions 36, 38, 40 and 42, respectively, to thereby selectively vary the volume of the fluid chamber within any desired portions thereof. Accordingly, while air is being introduced into the fluid chamber in greater volume than the volume of the fluid chamber, the aforesaid air-cushion will be established and the vehicle will be maintained spacedly with respect to an external surface. It has been found that ascension of an inclined surface by the vehicle will be permitted as shown in FIGURE 5 although the thickness of the air-cushion 26 is not increased beyond that required for traversal of a level surface. Of course, the inclusion of directional propelling thrust means, e.g., or other self-contained motion producing means to propel the vehicle in any desired direction, would be provided, although not shown, the invention claimed herein being the structure shown which is capable of permitting ascension of the vehicle up an inclined plane when propelled, whereby the load platform will remain horizontal. It will be obvious that an external force such as tow means can also be used as the moving force to actually move the vehicle in a desired direction.

To the end of variably controlling the spatial volumetric character of the fluid chamber and thus the inclination of the wall member 34 in accordance with the foregoing, control cables 56, 58, 69 and 62 intermediate interior surface 8 of platform 4 and wall member 34 are connected to lower end 64 of control stick 66, said stick being universally and pivotally mounted at 68 through said platform as shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings. To achieve the angular movement of the platform with respect to the wall member as shown, e.g., in FIGURE 5, control stick 66 is tilted forwardly as shown, to thereby cause cables 56 and 58 to pull downwardly upon eyelets 70 and 72, respectively, inasmuch as said cables are secured as shown to said wall member at points 74 and 76, respectively. Movement of the control stick toward the operator 78 will obviously draw cables 60 and 62 through eyelets 80 and 82, respectively, which are secured to said wall member, said cables being connected at points 84 and 86 of the interior surface of said platform, Whereupon peripheral edge 16 of said platform will be pulled toward wall portion 42 of said wall member to thereby decrease the volumetric character of the portion C of the fluid chamber and cause a greater discharge of fluid at end 52 of the vehicle to thereby occasion motion of the vehicle in the direction of arrow 88. Thus, it will be appreciated that by reason of the aforedescribed cable arrangement, variation of the volumetric content of the fluid chamber beneath peripheral edges 12 and 16 may also be accomplished by simply tilting the control stick toward either said edges, motion of the vehicle in the direction of the tilt being thereby occasioned.

It has been determined that provision of flexible skirt 90 depending from and sealingly connected about the bottom peripheral edge 46 of the wall member or plenum chamber, increases the efliciency of the vehicle by precluding excess spillage of air from the fluid chamber and by providing a soft resilient landing surface. Also, the effect of any impact between the vehicle and a ground projection will be minimized. Further, the accommodation of the soft skirt to provide peripheral contiguity with an irregular topographical surface will facilitate and expedite the initial build-up of the required fluid excess within the fluid chamber whereby the air-cushion will be occasioned.

It will, however, be appreciated that the instant ground effects vehicle will perform satisfactorily without the aforesaid peripheral skirt. Further, the means utilized to control the selective angular movement of the platform with respect to the plenum chamber may be other than the cable embodiment disclosed herein. Also, the flexible peripheral curtain may advantageously incorporate a bellow-like configuration.

Although the preferred embodiment of the ground effects vehicle has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention still other various changes may be made in the forms, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consists in a device capable of spatially varying the volumetric content of a fluid chamber to carry out the objects set forth as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A ground effects vehicle having a controlled variable volume fluid chamber comprised of an upper load-supporting platform having a fluid-intake passage provided therethrough, and a lower plenum chamber flexibly depending from and sealingly connected adjacently the periphery of said platform, said plenum chamber being formed of an upper flexible peripheral curtain and a lower openbottomed rigid peripheral wall member, said curtain and wall member being integrally connected, said flexible peripheral curtain being disposed intermediate said loadsupporting platform and said rigid peripheral wall member whereby said platform is adapted for selective angular movement relative said wall member, means for controllably elfectuating such angular movement to thus controllably and spatially vary the volumetric character of said fluid chamber, and means for introducing maintained volumes of fluid through said fluid-intake passage to within said fluid chamber whereby a fluid-cushion is occasioned intermediate the open bottom of said rigid peripheral wall and the ground surface to thus support said vehicle in spaced relation with respect to the ground surface.

2. A ground effects vehicle having a controllably variable fluid chamber comprised of a load-supporting platform having a fluid-intake passage provided therethrough, a rigid open-bottomed peripheral wall member and a flexible peripheral curtain, said flexible curtain being sealingly disposed intermediate said supporting platform and said wall member whereby said platform is adapted for movement relative said wall member, means for controllably effectuating said movement and means for introducing forced fluid flow through said fluid-intake passage and interiorly of said peripheral wall member.

3. A ground effects vehicle having a controllably variable fluid chamber, said vehicle being comprised of a normally horizontally oriented load-supporting platform, a rigid open-bottomed normally vertically oriented peripheral wall member and a flexible peripheral curtain, said flexible curtain being sealingly disposed intermediate said supporting platform and said wall member to thereby moveably connect said platform and said wall member,

means for controllably moving said platform angularly with respect to said wall member and means for introducing forced fluid flow interiorly of said fluid chamber.

4. A ground effects vehicle having a fluid chamber controllably variable with respect to the volumetric #3 character thereof, said fluid chamber being comprised of a substantially flat-surfaced load-supporting platform and an open-bottomed plenum chamber depending therefrom, a flexible peripheral curtain depending with respect to said load-supporting platform and sealing securing said plenum chamber to said platform, the walls of said plenum chamber being rigid and normally perpendicular with respect to the surface of said load-supporting platform, means for introducing fluid interiorly of said fluid chamber at a volumetric rate excessive to the volumetric egress rate of said fluid between said open-bottomed plenum chamber and the ground surface therebeneath, and means for selectively eflectuating variable angular relationships between the surface of said load-supporting platform and the rigid walls of said plenum chamber, said latter means being adapted to restore the normally perpendicular relation between said surface Walls.

5. A ground effects vehicle having a controlled variable volume fluid chamber comprised of a load-supporting platform, a rigid plenum chamber depending therefrom, a flexible peripheral curtain depending from said platform and sealingly connected adjacently the peripheral edge of said platform and the upper peripheral edge of said plenum chamber, and a flexible skirt depending from and sealingly connected from about the lower periphery of said plenum chamber, said platform having a fluid-intake passage disposed therethrough, said platform and plenum chamber being moveably related, means for controllably effectuating movement of said plenum chamber whereby the volumetric character of said chamber may be spatially controlled, and means for introducing forced fluid flow through said fluid-intake passage to within said fluid chamber.

6. A ground effects vehicle having a controlled variable volume fluid chamber comprised of a normally horizontally oriented upper load-supporting platform of generally rectangular configuration having an exterior and an interior surface and first, second, third and fourth peripheral edges, said platform having a circular fluid-intake passage disposed therethrough and centrally of said surfaces, propeller means mounted axially with respect to said passage and a rotary power source adapted to drive said propeller means, a lower plenum chamber flexibly depending from and sealingly connected to said platform, said plenum chamber being formed of a flexible peripheral curtain member, said wall member being of generally rectangular configuration and formed of first, second, third and fourth vertically oriented rigid peripheralwall portions having top and bottom peripheral edges, said flexible peripheral curtain being disposed intermediate said loadsupporting platform and said wall member to thereby connect the first, second, third and fourth peripheral edges of said platform to the top peripheral edges of the first, second, third and fourth rigid peripheral wall portions, respectively, thereby permitting angular movement between said normally horizontal platform and the rigid peripheral wall portions of said wall member, control cables extending from the interior surface of said platform to said rigid peripheral wall portions and a control stick moveably mounted through said platform and connected to said control cables whereby said angular movement may be controllably effectuated by selective movement of said control stick to thus controllably and spatially vary the volumetric character of said fluid chamber as contained between the interior surface of said platform and said plenum chamber, said spatial volumetric variation being controllable while said propeller means maintains the introduction of fluid through said fluid-intake passage to within said fluid chamber whereby a fluidcushion is occasioned between said vehicle and a support surface to thus support said vehicle in spaced relation with respect to the support surface, the bottom peripheral edges of said rigid peripheral wall portions being maintained in parallelism with respect to said support surface notwithstanding any angular inclination of the latter.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,121,401 2/1964 Fields 1s0 7 3,185,238 5/1965 Coates 180-7 FOREIGN PATENTS 80,047 1/1963 France.

A. HARRY LEVY, Primary Examiner.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Examiner.

M. S. SALES, Assistant Examiner. 

2. A GROUND EFFECTS VEHICLE HAVING A CONTROLLABLY VARIABLE FLUID CHAMBER COMPRISED OF A LOAD-SUPPORTING PLATFORM HAVING A FLUID-INTAKE PASSAGE PROVIDED THERETHROUGH, A RIGID OPEN-BOTTOMED PERIPHERAL WALL MEMBER AND A FLEXIBLE PERIPHERAL CURTAIN, SAID FLEXIBLE CURTAIN BEING SEALINGLY DISPOSED INTERMEDIATE SAID SUPPORTING PLATFORM AND SAID WALL MEMBER WHEREBY SAID PLATFORM IS ADAPTED FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE SAID WALL MEMBER, MEANS FOR CONTROLLABLY EFFECTUATING SAID MOVEMENT AND MEANS FOR INTRODUCING FORCED FLUID FLOW THROUGH SAID FLUID-INTAKE PASSAGE AND INTERIORLY OF SAID PERIPHERAL WALL MEMBER. 